The Tug Valley Panthers's recent rough patch got a bit rougher on Monday after their fourth straight loss. They took a 54-40 bruising from St. Joseph Central. Tug Valley found out winning isn't easy when you're outrebounded 18 to 7 on offense.
Despite the defeat, Tug Valley saw an underclassman step up: Bailee Hall scored 23 points along with six rebounds and two steals. That was a full 57.5% of Tug Valley's points, marking the third time in a row she's earned more than a third of the team's points. Haven Deskins was another key contributor, scoring nine points along with seven assists.
St. Joseph Central found their leader in underclassman Ava Gallion, who scored 24 points along with six steals and five rebounds. The team also got some help courtesy of Sophie Ransbottom, who dropped a double-double on 11 points and ten rebounds.
Tug Valley has traveled a rocky road recently having lost 11 of their last 12 matches, which put a noticeable dent in their 4-17 record this season. As for St. Joseph Central, the victory (which was their third in a row) raised their record to 14-5.
Tug Valley will head out on the road to square off against Mingo Central at 7:30 p.m. on Friday. Tug Valley is coming into the match with five straight defeats on the road, meaning Mingo Central will have to defend against a team hungry for a win. As for St. Joseph Central, they won't have much time to rest: their next matchup is against Man at 6:00 p.m. on February 6th. The timing is sure in St. Joseph Central's favor as the squad sits on five straight wins at home while Man has been banged up by five consecutive losses on the road.
